Student Services Department

Vision

Mission

To effectively and efficiently provide integrated services to students of the University aimed at creating learning environment underpinned by safety, good health and wellness. These services include:

Healthcare for students within the University;

Sports and recreation;

Guidance and counselling;

Living and learning facilities;

Student governance;

Support for students with disabilities.

Divisions

The Student Services Department has six sub-divisions. These are:

Campus Health Clinic

The Campus Health Clinic is essential in the success of the core function of the University. It is therefore important that the Clinic is accessible to all students and promotes health in line with the Batho-Pele principles in general and the University values in particular. While the Campus Health Clinic strives to adhere to the values of the University as embraced by the Student Services Department, it has its section specific values which include commitment to performance, adherence to strict confidentiality and embracing cultural diversity.

The Campus Health Clinic pursues the following strategic themes in order to help the Department in accomplishing it mission and vision:

Health promotion;

Curative health;

Health awareness campaigns; and

Reproductive healthcare.

Student Housing

The Student Housing section strives to offer students a conducive living and learning experience within an environment that recognises and rewards individual and group development efforts. The Student Housing section strives to ensure affordable student accommodation, the maximisation of profits generated through holiday accommodation as well as efficient student residence governance in accomplishing its goals.

Sports and Recreation

The Sports and Recreation section is responsible for disbursement of funds to sporting codes as well as sports awareness, development, leadership and management of (sports) facilities in order to help the Student Services Department in accomplishing its mission and vision.

Guidance and Counselling

Adjustment to the tertiary environment largely depends on an individual student’s background, character, personality and experiences. The challenges posed by the environment compel one to seek guidance and counselling on personal and academic matters. The Guidance and Counselling section pursues psychological support, personal development, career guidance, awareness as well as graduate recruitment as its strategic themes.

Student Governance (societies administration)

There are various recognised student formations which are broadly classified into four categories i.e. academic societies, cultural societies, extra-curricular formations and political formations within the University of Zululand. The Office of the Dean of Students (through the Student Governance section) supports these various societies in ensuring that these are in good standing.Workshops for capacity building are usually conducted for the societies to enable them to deliver according to their specific programmes of action. Each society is given an allocation from the societies’ levy to implement its programme of action. Best performing societies are rewarded or recognised during a societies’ banquet. Leadership forums on matters of interest are usually conducted to get a broad buy-in from the societies and to ensure shared attributions on institutional matters pertaining to transformation.The Student Representative Council is a legitimate structure for student governance and accounts to the Dean of Students.

Office for Students with Disabilities

The University of Zululand has broadened its mission and scope toward becoming more inclusive as well as ensuring the protection of the constitutional rights of students with disabilities. Through this office, the University strives to ensure that students with disabilities have a positive experience with regards to higher education.Support services for students with different abilities include assessing the needs of the students as well as designing responsive programmes.